Albion (Bowwow828)
This country is part of Altverse. |demonym = Albish |government_type = Parliamentary constitutional monarchy |leader_title1 = Monarch |leader_name1 = Mary IV |leader_title2 = Prime Minister |leader_name2 = Chester Jameson |legislature = Parliament of Albion |upper_house = House of Lords |lower_house = House of Commons |sovereignty_type = |sovereignty_note = |established_event1 = Acts of Union 1699 |established_date1 = May 1, 1699 |established_event2 = |established_date2 = |area = |area_km2 = |area_sq_mi = 323,632 |area_footnote = |percent_water = |area_label = Total |area_label2 = |area_data2 = |population_estimate = 61,000,000 |population_estimate_rank = |population_estimate_year = 2014 |population_census = |population_census_year = 2010 |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |population_density_rank = |GDP_PPP = $5.588 trillion |GDP_PPP_rank = 3rd |GDP_PPP_year = 2013 |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $31,410 |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 7th |GDP_nominal = |GDP_nominal_rank = |GDP_nominal_year = |GDP_nominal_per_capita = |GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = |Gini = 39.22 |Gini_ref = |Gini_rank = |Gini_year = |HDI = 0.844 |HDI_ref = |HDI_rank = 14th |HDI_year = 2014 |currency = Albish pound stering |currency_code = APS |time_zone = UTC 0 |utc_offset = |time_zone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |DST_note = |date_format = mm-dd-2014 |drives_on = left |cctld = .ag |iso3166code = AG |calling_code = +1 |footnote_a = |footnote_b = |footnote_h = |footnotes = }} The United Kingdom of Albion, Caledonia, and Wales, often referred to as simply Albion and sometimes the United Kingdom, is a sovereign state encompassing northwestern Europe. It is a union of three constituent countries, Albion, Caledonia, and Wales, formed on May 1, 1699 with the Acts of Union, officiated by James III of Albion after the Ablish victory of the Channel War, a 12-year conflict in which both sides sought to control the other's throne. Its territory includes most of the Britannian Isles (except Ireland), Gaul, and Corsica. It is the 9th most populous country in the world with 150 million inhabitants. It has been a member of the European Union since 1972 and is an active member of the international community including the United Nations, NATO, the G8 and G20 summits. It is governed by a bicameral parliamentary system while retaining the centuries-old constitutional monarchy. The current monarch is Queen Mary IV, who ascended to the throne on June 7, 1949. Its capital, London, is one of the most diverse and populous cities in the world and also contains a significant portion of the UK's population with 30 million citizens. It boasts a $3.558 trillion GDP, the second highest in the world, and is among the world's most developed and technologically advanced nations. Over the years, Albion has had a significant influence on the modern western world. It once held an expansive empire, at one point governing over a fifth of the world's population, which ensured it's enormous influence on government, music, culture, language, and technology in it's former colonies. The Westminster parliamentary system, which Albion-Gaul was among the first to adopt, is the most popular form of government in the world today. In recent years, Albion has been troubled with rising national movements, including the Gaulish independence movement, Welsh nationalism, Scottish nationalism and republicanism which all have elevated into violence at one point or another. Religious tension between the Protestant Albion and the Catholic Gaul remains nearly as high as it was when the countries united. The increasing immigration of Muslims due to the instability in the Middle East has led to a call for increased border security and Islamist terrorism remains a major concern. Etymology The origin for the name "Albion" is rooted in the proto-Indo-European term "albho" which means "white", possibly referring to the White Cliffs of Dover. The name was applied to the Britannian Isles, including Caledonia, an inclusion that some ethnic Scots reject. The name "Britannia" was used by the Romans during their occupation and over time has come to include Ireland and Albion as the Britannian Isles. History Middle Ages In 1066, the Normans invaded Albion from Gaul, conquering much of the Britannian isles, including Ireland. After the Normans integrated into Albion, Albish kings campaigned successfully and conquered Caledonia, incorporating it into the Kingdom of Albion and requiring all Scots speak Albish. After the entirety of the isles where under effective Ablish control, relations with the neighboring Kingdom of Gaul began tensing. Despite the Norman conquerors hailing from Gaul, they didn't not claim the Ablish throne for the Gaulish kingdom nor where the now Norman Ablish kings friendly towards Gaul. The two would engage in a series of short, but often intense conflicts until their eventual, and widely regarded as purely political, union in 1699. Channel War The Channel War began after King Louis V began arranging marriages with neighboring kingdoms, seeking to bolster his kingdom's support in the on-going feuds with Albion and Catalonia. The Kingdom of Albion feared that Louis would secure a marriage with Burgundy, its only ally capable of assisting Albion in any meaningful way. Gaul was capable of securing protection for smaller kingdoms and had much to offer in terms of resources. King James II of Albion worried this would be enough to sway Burgundy despite the historical, personal, and religious ties they shared. James II ordered a blockade against Gaul, hoping it would implore Louis V to reconsider his royal expansion. But it only served as the casus belli Louis V needed to launch the largest campaign against Albion to date. Instead of pushing back Albion as Gaul did in previous conflicts, Louis sought to conquer the Albish throne. Realizing the unusually high stakes, James II ordered full mobilization of his troops. James' military was well-armed, well-fed and had high morale as this was the first conflict it had seen in some time. Louis knew this, though he underestimated the full scope of James' army's capabilities and only sent a fraction of his army to battle. Louis' forces were decisively defeated initially. allowing Albion to begin a land invasion of Gaul. Louis sent the full strength of his forces, expecting to easily repel the Albish force. However, Burgundy, which was previously in talks with Gaul about a royal marriage, had sided with Albion, officially stating that Louis' attack on Albion was unjust. It is suspected the real reason behind Burgundy's support of Albion was Albion's ability to supply much-needed food as well as the historical ties the two kingdoms shared. Grand Duke Charles II of Burgundy had been hesitant to speak with Louis about a royal marriage, and when war broke out between Albion and Gaul, it was seen as the logical choice to side with Albion. Burgundy's support of Albion put immense pressure on Louis as Burgundy had stockpiled ammunition and gunpowder and was ready to supply it to Albion. Catalonia, which was also rich in war resources, began to pledge support to Albion. Catalonia and Gaul, despite being both Catholic monarchies, had deep-seated resentments. Gaul found itself surrounded and out armed. Albion was able to continue it's invasion though not without intense Gaulish resistance. Paris fell on November 13, 1687 and James II installed his son, George, as the King of Gaul. Gaul under Albion James II died shortly after the Channel War ended and was succeeded by his son James III. James III's first priority as the new king was to ensure Albion's hold on the Gaulish throne was secure. He did this by proposing the Acts of Union, which would unite Albion and Gaul under one king. George of Gaul was very supportive of the measure. George's 12-year rule of Gaul was largely uneventful, save for some localized uprisings from Louis-loyalists. George's decision to pardon Louis V of imprisonment or execution was somewhat controversial within Albion, but respected by James III. Louis moved to Corsica where he lived until his death in 1712. After the integration period, the Parliament of Albion proposed the Acts of Union to officially unite the two kingdoms under one crown. The measure was approved unanimously and James III gave royal assent on May 1, 1699, officially creating the United Kingdom of Albion-Gaul. King George of Gaul was promptly made Duke of Gaul, a title that is held today by the second-in-line for the throne, currently Prince Richard. American War of Independence During the late 1770s, Albion-Gaul found itself in conflict with it's thirteen colonies in North America. King George III had enacted several new taxes on the colonies including the Tea Tax and the Stamp Tax, both of which were massively unpopular. The Boston Tea Party was the first act of civil disobedience against these new taxes when American colonists in Boston dumped a shipment of tea into the harbor. King George III refused to tolerate any more unrest and sent 1,000 troops to patrol the streets of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. The deployment initially succeeded in it's intended goal to restore order and reaffirm the UK's control over the colonies. However, on March 5, 1770, five American colonists were killed in what is known as AG as the incident on Kings Street. The United States historically maintained that AG soldiers fired upon peaceful protests against George III's new taxes, while AG argued that the colonists threatened the soldiers, which compelled them to fire. In any case, the incident is often credited with starting the American War of Independence. The American campaign was led by George Washington, a veteran who had participated in Albion-Gaulish conflicts with the Native Americans. Washington found himself in a major uphill battle. Albion-Gaul had the largest and best-equipped Navy at the time, and plenty of reserve troops ready to be sent to America at a moment's notice. The UK and Washington's army engaged in several battles which the UK won decisively. After about two years of defeat, Washington began to adopt a guerrilla-style of warfare. With this, Washington's performance began to improve. UK soldiers often themselves taken by surprise and it began wearing down on Albion-Gaul's resources and morale. Supporters of holding the colonies at the war's start began promoting peace. On July 4, 1776, the American separatists declared their formal independence from Albion-Gaul, establishing the United States of America. King George III made the controversial decision to end the war effort and withdraw all troops from America. Albion-Gaul's defeat was a major embarrassment and other European monarchies began to lose confidence in Albion-Gaul. Many began to see it as being in over its head and unable to control it's overseas possessions. War of 1812 After the United States achieved independence, it again clashed with Albion-Gaul after the U.S. declared war on AG on June 18, 1812. The US accused Albion-Gaul of conscripting the crews of American ships into service in the Albion-Gaul Navy. AG denied these claims and vowed to be victorious in this second conflict with America. AG utilized the Dominion of Canada as the primary front for fighting the Americans. Albion-Gaul successfully invaded Michigan and took Detroit began moving southward. US President James Madison sent 11,000 US troops to meet the Albion-Gaulish. Hoping to increase pressure on the US, Albion-Gaul began winning the support of various Native American tribes. President Madison did not back down and continued to press Albion-Gaul in Michigan, eventually pushing them back to Windsor. The US Navy and Albion-Gaul Navy then clashed near the Virginia coast. Albion-Gaul managed to deploy several thousand troops into Washington D.C., burning down the Capitol Building and the White House. American forces eventually succeeded in repelling the Albion-Gaulish. As the war progressed, the human and financial cost began to build on both the United States and Albion-Gaul. The two sides agreed to a cease-fire for negotiations in neutral Ghent, Belgium. Both sides agreed not to demand for territorial acquisitions but disagreed on whether reparations should be made. The United States demanded a sum of $15 million for AG's conscription of American sailors. AG rejected the US' demand and negotiations began slowing to a halt. Albion-Gaul then enacted a blockade against the US, crippling the American economy. After several months of small-scale fighting, both sides returned to the negotiation table. The US immediately dropped it's demand for reparations and stated it would accept any peace offer. Albion-Gaul, its cash reserves strained, opted not to make any demands from the US and accepted a peace offer. The Treaty of Ghent was signed and ratified by both nations, ending the war. Category:Nations